Forgiveness, these days, may be a hard pill to swallow. The world feels more divided than ever, with war-torn countries encroaching and decimating one another on both the physical and spiritual planes. But on a $260 million manufactured island nestled on the Hudson River, a different kind of story is unfolding: one of redemption.
The Gospel at Colonus, Lee Breuer and Bob Telson’s 1983 adaptation of Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus, could raise the roof if the Amph, the island’s 700-seat outdoor performance space, had one. The retelling of the cursed king and his quest for refuge takes its cues from Pentecostal rituals.
“[Pentacostalism] is, at its heart, about the senses—practitioners’ sensory experiences of God and the world through what their bodies can feel and know,” wrote religious scholar Emily D. Crews. Director Shayok Misha Chowdhury harnesses this spiritual practice with a stellar cast of 24, bridging the gap between ancient Greek myths and religious fervor with an intoxicating theatricality.
The acting company, including jazz vocalist Frank Senior as the cursed Oedipus on a mission of salvation, Davóne Tines as his younger self (with a vocal range wider than the expanse from the underworld to heaven), Samantha Howard (Antigone) and Ayana George Jackson (Ismene) as Oedipus’s sister-daughters, and Stephanie Berry as the preacher who stitches the incestuous tale together with the power of a master storyteller, are nothing short of transcendent.
The production marks a watershed moment for Little Island’s producing artistic director Zack Winokur, who joined the well-funded venture in 2024 and is already leaving an indelible mark. (It helps to have the deep pockets of primary financial backer Barry Diller.)
“Though he has watched a decent age pass by, a man will sometimes still desire the world,” says the preacher. “I swear I see no wisdom in that man.” On occasion, the intersection of resources and what some may call a Higher Power aligns. The Gospel at Colonus is such a moment, asking us to consider:
“…one word frees us of all the weight and pain of life. That word is love.”
The Gospel at Colonus plays at Little Island through July 26.
‘The Gospel at Colonus’ takeaway
If Little Island offers a taste of Greek theater this summer, then the Athens Epidaurus Festival offers a Dionysian feast dating back to the 4th century BC. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the modern festival, which offers fresh theatrical takes on Greek classics, art installations, music, and dance.
Related stories:
- “What’s your damage, Heather?” More than you think, even as a musical
- What playwright Samuel D. Hunter has to say about ‘Little Bear Ridge Road’
- The ‘Masquerade mystery continues: What’s so precious about Preciosa crystals?
